The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-05-05
MISS RUTHIEx CHARGE.

q "" SAM 0AN 9E~ t@hAF
said good Mrs Msnley. the plnmp. nal 1
ronly minsiers vile, and Abe smiled
sssnredly si Miss Ruth's grim face.
But Miss Paul wasn't 10 be smiled into
spysbing 10 any such fashion.
why, Mrs. MAnIey. ] doo', knos soy
more sbou, children than cat does sbout
snndsy. /" vas her dry answer
1 Never mind that. Miss Ru,h,e, you
could learn, Add this i iasi The place
for . poor. tired little child. You hsye
big empty house; . great cool, shady
yArd; plenty Of milk, fruit, big garden
and everything that child loves. ion
might take three or four "
.And they sould chase the ducks, wor.
ry tie chickens. pull the flowers. waste the
fruit, spill the milk. aud racket and upset
al over the housel would as soon 60 10
the Apyium and be done With il. Mrs.
Msnley."
"But. Miss Ruth. urged the ministers
wife. gently. I'VE ought TO be wiling to
put up with few inconyeniences for the
sake Of Frightening one OF these darkened
little lives
II didn't darker EN-, said Miss Ruth,
grimly; II amt responsible.
"'Iuasm uch as 70 have done i unto
one Of the less. Of these, ye have done It
unto me. murmured Mrs Manley.
Cant help it," responded Miss Ruth,
iii took one OF em shouldn't know
what on earth to do with it. | would
worry IL, and il would worry me. II
amt no use to waste words over il. !"
Mrs Manley rose to go with disap-
pointed air.
"Then you will not take even one, Miss
Ruth?"
mot even one, Miss Manley." returned
the grim spinster.
"Well, ! am sorry. But you are the
best Judge OF course"
"I'd like to oblige you, Mrs. Msnley;
but what to do with a young one ! am
sure wouldn't know. could never do
it,"
Then | will not urge it, Miss Ruth.
OF course il you change your mind be
tween now and the time the children come
yon can let the committee know. There
is always room
''All right. But tisnt at all likely that
| shall change my mind" said Miss Ruth,
grim as ever.
But after Mrs. Manley was gone Miss
Ruth felt uneasy. All day long her mind
dwelt on the poor sickly children in the
city, whom the Ladies' Relief society were
going to send ont into the cool, green
country for few weeks, wherever they
could find kind heart or hospitable
home ready to take in poor little waf.
Miss Rnth had plenty Of means, and not
q soul to fill that great house except her
sslf, her stout maid Betty, and the colored
boy who acted - general faetotum. But
she had never had anything to do with
children in her life. She didn't like them
Their fingers were always sticky, and they
always got into mischief and left things
lying about, and-oh, she couldn't think
any thing about it! But ii was provoking.
Everything Miss Ruth touched that day
seemed to harp on that one subject. II
she took up paper there was picture or
poem OF pretty children under her eyes.
She went into the kitchen and the first
thing Betty had to say was that the neigh
bors on both sides we're going to take two
children for month from the relief com
mittee, and Betty thought it was so nice
to have the darlings running around to
keep person from getting lonesome. She
got letter from her niece that morning,
and it enclosed picture Of the niece's
baby and told what q darling he was and
how she loved him, and didn't see how
any one could be 80 hard hearted as not to
love and be kind to him. Then, worst o I
all, in the afternoon Betty required Ger
tain muslin bag for straaing jelly, aud 1t
could not be found. strange to say in this
methodical household Miss Ruth had to |
go up to the garret for piece out Of which
to make another bag. And so she chanced |
to open certain trunk in the garret, By
the side OF which she sat down and sighed |
For there preserved in camphor and Law
ender, through so many years, were the
garments belonging to the being that Miss
Ruth had most loved on earth. the little
sister who was buried when she was only
ten years old. in the graveyard under the
willow trees.
Perhaps il she bad lived, Miss Ruth.
wouldn't have been the grim woman she |
was. .'Sour old maid. the Abbott chill
dren OF the next door called her. Bu,
Miss Ruth bad her good points after all |
Honest aud truthful to the core, strictly !
just, yet generous when she found occas
ION, there was . warm heart hidden away
under the shelter which so few had
rierced g
1t seemed - II, willie she sat on the
floor in the old garret. she could see Tilly's
blue eyes looking up into hers and hear
nIly's tender voice saying: Sister re
member the time when we played togeth
er. and do II for my sake -
Miss autbie got her muslin. shut the
trunk and marched down stairs to the
Kitchen.
Betty" she said, do you think we
ought 10 take one OF those children
la. yes. Miss Ruih; why don't your"
said Betty. her plain face lighting up
But children are such nuisances
"Yes. Miss Ruth; but they're Kind O.
comforting after all "
"Well, make your jelly, Betty; miod
don'i lei II burn"
Miss Euth walked ont Of the Kitchen